The Met advises women to hail a bus or run if they do not trust a male officer
The Metropolitan Police has issued new advice for women who do not trust a male officer, which includes ‘waving a bus down’ for help or running away.
In a statement released yesterday, Britain’s largest force advised women to “shout out to a passer-by, run into a house or wave a bus down”.
The guidance was published following the life-sentencing of serving Met officer Wayne Couzens for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard.
Met commissioner Cressida Dick has been facing mounting calls for her resignation, for several of the force’s failings.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Dick said: “I absolutely know that there are those who feel their trust in us is shaken. I recognise that for some people a precious bond of trust has been damaged.
“There are no words that can fully express the fury and overwhelming sadness that we all feel about what happened to Sarah. I am so sorry.”
The Met is also set to deploy 650 new officers.
Vetting checks review
The case has launched forward discussions regarding the Met’s vetting process, as a vehicle registered to Couzens was linked to an allegation of indecent exposure in Kent in 2015 – a claim that had not appeared in his initial screening process.
The Met said in its statement last night: “Following his arrest, as the public would expect, we reviewed his vetting. This review confirmed he passed vetting processes.
“However, it also found one of a range of checks may not have been undertaken correctly.”
The force added that Kent Police investigated the allegation at the time and decided to take no further action.
It is important for to re-evaluate the Met’s approach to indecent exposure, it added, as the force believes it is an under-reported crime.
“This is part of our re-evaluation of our strategy for tackling violence against women and girls.
“We are reviewing our crime screening process in respect of indecent exposure. We want to better understand the information we have as part of our approach to the identification and policing of crime hotspots.”
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) is currently undergoing an inspection of the Met, which will pay particular attention to its vetting practices, as well as overall police effectiveness.